Season 1 |
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Episode Guide
Episode 1
Episode 2
Episode 3
Episode 4
Episode 5
Episode 6
Videogame adaptations are all the rage at the moment. Between Super Mario Bros and The Last Of Us, the quality of these productions have jumped leaps and bounds since the days of Mortal Kombat: Annihilation and, funnily enough, the live-action Super Mario Bros movie.
One of the more obvious candidates for a big-budget Japanese-helmed adaptation is the Yakuza series. A franchise steeped in rich narrative history, Yakuza first dropped on our consoles back in 2005, and since then, has only grown from strength to strength.
For those unaware, the Yakuza series is a crime drama, based in the fictional district of Kamurochō. Our protagonist of the Yakuza / Like a Dragon franchise is Kazuma Kiryu, who fights his way through a variety of different goons, while also becoming embroiled in a big war between different clans.
The games serve as a glimpse into the yakuza and life in Japan in general. While the games can be quite straight and serious with its story, there are wild deviations in tone and style across every game. You can pick up motorbikes to slam around during fights, engage in wacky side quests, go to karaoke, and there are satirical nods to various cultural topics in Japan that make for a rollicking good time.
Hot off the heels of Fallout, which is definitely an acquired taste (but one I personally really enjoyed), Like A Dragon: Yakuza is absolutely nothing like the games. This is very much a series that wants to march to the beat of its own drum, but it feels off; like the drummer is a beat behind the rest of the band. It feels jarring and discordant.
The story here, takes the barebone summary from both Yakuza 0 and Kiwami 1, mashing them up together into something barely resembling the Yakuza name. Oh, and stretched thin across two intersecting timelines. The first is in 1995, and the other 2005.
In 1995, four friends are eager to escape their restrictive lives in an orphanage. Kazuma is at the heart of this and he, alongside his friends Yumi, Nishiki and Miho, dive into the yakuza-controlled underworld of the Dojima Clan.
Meanwhile, in 2005, Kazuma is freed from a 10 year prison stint and the four find that their friendship has deteriorated. There are big tensions between the Tojo Clan and the Omi Alliance, threatening all out war. And at the center of this, are a strange group of radicals, led by the Demon of Shinjuku.
The trouble with branching out and going your own way is that you’ll always have the source material to try and usurp. That’s not to say it can’t happen – look at The Shining and how successful that film has been. But when it comes to the Yakuza series, you already have built-in lore and a dedicated fanbase. What Amazon has chalked up for us here just pales by comparison
In fact, it pales next to other Japanese series that have released this year. Both Shogun and Tokyo Vice have been breakaway hits, so it’s incredibly frustrating to see this just sorta… exist.
It’s not a bad series and there are some nice additions, especially later on in the series. But the creative decisions here are just baffling, to say the least. Characters don’t act like their game counterparts, while others are twisted to become unrecognizable splodges that are just here to make up the numbers.
However, there are clear easter eggs to fans, including Kazuma first trying on his iconic suit, or meeting characters like Goro Majima who, I may add, is the absolute best part of this whole show.
But in between that, we get this super grounded, super serious crime drama that never captures the essence of what makes Yakuza such an iconic series. There are no bouts of silliness to alleviate the tension. There are no wacky side quests or iconic segments that make you feel like you’ve stepped into the Yakuza universe. In fact, it feels like someone just read the Wiki page and called it a day.
There’s a clear desire to try and capture the mood of the series though, especially when you consider the aesthetics of this one. There are some scenes – especially during the mid and latter parts of the show – that really pop with bright colours and sunny exteriors. There are a few slow-mo shots of big action, and the musical score is pretty good too. But all of this falls by the wayside when it comes to the narrative, which is just not strong, at all.
In a year chock full of blockbuster hits, Like A Dragon: Yakuza fails to rise to the occasion. This is a bland, unfortunately lackluster adaptation that fails to understand what makes Yakuza so beloved to begin with. On its own, it’s a mediocre crime drama, but next to its source material, this is a big disappointment. In an age where there’s so much choice on the small screen, this just isn’t a good time investment.
Personally, I’d wait for all the episodes to drop before diving into this, and even then, give it a binge in one sitting. It’s not bad, but it’s far from the echelons of greatness it so easily could have had with a bit of work.
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Verdict - 5/10
5/10